The Price of Power?
by Sparxfics
Summary: "Spoilers for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Distraught by news that Alm is the late-emperor's son and true heir to the Rigelian throne, Berkut takes drastic measures to gain the power to defeat him once and for all. It doesn't quite go as he intended." Imported from my Wattpad account. An AU from a fanfic generator. The worst thing I've ever made. I'm sorry.


(A/N: Originally published on July 18th, 2017. Takes place at the start of Act 5: Together to the End. Alm had just killed Emperor Rudolf and discovered his true heritage. Just saying so y'all won't be confused. Also shout-out to Robotortise for making the generator that made me have this idea) 

"It's not possible..." A man clad in onyx armor walked with no aim through a spiraling dungeon, lost in his thoughts. "Alm... is the emperor's true son? Which makes... _him_ the rightful successor to the imperial throne. All this time... All the effort! What has it all been for?! ...No. It isn't true. It can't be, I-I refuse to believe it. Nothing but lies..." He took a breath, then shouted, "Lies, lies _lies, lies,_ ** _LIES!_** "

He soon found himself in a large room within the dungeon, lit with an inferno in the middle, that of which rose in fury and caught his attention. "Is that... an altar?" he asked himself. "How did I get here? What's happening?" At that moment, he heard a voice.

 _Heed me..._

"Who are y-"

 _Heed me, you who thirst for power... Call to me. Accept me onto your soul._

"That voice... Duma? Is it really you?" The voice growled softly as a response. "What...?"

"Lord Berkut!" Before the god could reply, if he would reply, a young woman with long blue hair and fancy dress came running in, calling to the man. Of course, he was no stranger to this woman, for she was his fiancé.

"Rinea..." Berkut spoke her name with a hint of distress.

She panted a bit, then continued. "I've been looking all over for you. This is the last place I would have expected to find you. You always hated the Faithful, after all."

"This is true..." he answered. His country of Rigel was founded on the back of the War Father, Duma- those that still followed his beliefs to this day were known as the Duma Faithful. They mostly consisted of those that have sold their souls for power, especially magical power, which Berkut thought was an easy way out of pursuing it. "...but then I had the throne snatched from under me by some magical heir. Plying the gods' mercies is what men do in hopeless situations, is it not?"

"I didn't mean... Forgive me. I shouldn't have said anything." Berkut didn't respond. "Please don't despair so. Alm seems a kind and generous man. I'm certain he'll treat you fair."

"And I'm to be **content** with that?!" he snapped, Rinea's reaction being a gasp. "I wanted to _BEAT_ him, Rinea! To dispatch him and claim the throne! I wanted to make you my empress and _hold_ all Valentia in our palms _together!_ But _what_ of those dreams now...? Even Rigel alone is now forever beyond my grasp. So I'm to live in this Alm's shadow? _Throw_ myself upon his mercy? I would sooner an honorable **death** at the executioner's blade!

"Berkut! You mustn't say such things. I never... The truth is..." She paused. "...I never wanted to be empress."

"...What?"

"To stand at your side is all I've ever desired. I don't care if you're the emperor or a swineherd so long as we... Berkut?"

"...You too, Rinea?"

"What?"

"Were you _laughing_ along with them? Rudolf, Massena and all the rest? Watching me _toil_ away while _you KNEW_ I would _never become emperor!_ Was every _kind word_ part of the _act?_ Every _smile_ an act of _**PITY?!"**_

"Berkut, you're frightening me!"

"Duma... O ancient god! I call out to you now! Grant me the power to set this land to **ruin** for good and all! Take of me what price you will! I care not anymore!"

As he said this, a sigil appeared on the ground near him- Duma's, no doubt. Flames conspired towards it, swirling around the top part of the sigil until a figure appeared from it and whisked the flames away. The first thing both Berkut and Rinea noticed once the flames had gone were the wings, horns and pointed tail of this figure- all blood red: it was a demon. It donned a simple burgundy and gold dress, with a darker-colored cape and boots- female demon. Her hair was blonde, styled into two pigtails with red bows tying them near the end, and her eyes were a brown similar to the prince's. There were a few minutes of silence (the only noise being the flames) before she spoke up.

"...So, I heard someone wanted power?"

"What... what is this? You can't be Duma, right?" Berkut asked her. By now he had... sort of calmed down? Calm enough so that he can speak without shouting for once today.

"Not Duma. But I can do a bit of the things he can do, such as grant power for a price. My name is Faye. Nice to meet you both!" She was suprisingly cheerful, given her status as a demon. Berkut merely scoffed, Rinea gave a friendly wave. "So then, what kind of power do you need?"

Berkut, though hesitant, spoke his desire once again. "I seek to beat the true prince of Rigel once and for all... To lay waste to this land... I will offer any price."

"True prince, eh? You mean Alm?" She frowned at this. "Well, why do you want to beat him? He isn't _that_ bad, at least I-"

 _"Not you too!"_ Berkut yelled, his anger from earlier returning once more. "And how do you even- Ugh. Can you grant me this or not?" Faye nodded.

"It's a hefty price, though... I'll need your soul. Y'know, for Duma. He likes those."

"Berkut..." Rinea finally spoke up, after not speaking for what felt like an eternity. "You're not really going to go through with this, are you...?" His only response was a hug and a quiet "I'm sorry." The prince turned to the demon before them.

"... Very well," he said, "you may have my soul. For I care not anymore... I just want this opportunity." Faye smirked and summoned a trident- golden hilt with blood red steel prongs. She flew towards Berkut, but before she could do the deed, she turned to Rinea.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to run. He's going to become a ruthless killing machine, even capable of killing those he loved without hesitation. So for your own good, run like the wind, _now!"_ Though her face was full of fear, Rinea nonetheless obliged and fled, and once she did, Faye injected the trident into Berkut's arm as best as she could, as his soul started pouring into the trident. It was a rather quick process at 3 minutes- Faye has done this many times before, and she could clearly tell that this soul was easier to take than others. _Thank goodness for that,_ she thought.

After his soul was taken, now came his reward- power. The trident that Faye had before vanished and she summoned another; golden prongs and red hilt, the opposite colors of the first. Once again she injected the trident into the prince's arm, but it glowed an onimous red as it transfered all its power to him. The deed was, once again, faster than most at 3 minutes. "Alright, Berkut- that was your name, right?- just wait here for Alm. He'll be here soon, I'm sure of it."

"And if he doesn't arrive? What then?"

"Just trust me, he'll be here. I'll be off now so... Good luck, I suppose!" Faye stepped back into the sigil, which glowed before it- and she- vanished.

A few hours later, Faye returned to the altar to check on the prince. She found him lying in the ground, in a pool of his own blood, some scorch marks on his armor. _What a shame,_ she thought to herself. _He was so desperate, too... Not like selling his soul to me for power would hinder Alm at all..._ She swooned silently, then warped away once more, with the intent of breaking the news to his former fiancé.

(A/N: I can't look at this fic anymore)


End file.
